Alcohol Awareness

Published
Apr 02, 2014

College students and alcohol are about as synonymous as two things can be. Many students see drinking as a rite of passage during the college years. Unfortunatley, some begin a pattern of alcohol consumption that can set the stage for addiction, and subsequently, other health issues later in life. The Core Institute, an organization that surveys college alcohol use, estimates that aroudn 300,000 students in college today will eventually die of alcohol-related causes. This is a sobering statistic indeed.

The recently published 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), now classifies issues with alcohol as an Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), whereby a person would only need to meet two (2) out of eleven (11) criteria to be diagnosed with this disorder, which varies in severity. Naturally, the more criteria met, the more severe the disorder and the closer one would be what we would call an "alcoholic". The criteria involve frequency of use, impairment in daily functioning, failed efforts to quit, and tolerance levels among other things. Those on the mild to moderate end may engage in heavy use such as binge drinking with some impairment to fuctioning such as failing grades. Those on the severe end have a legitimate physical addiction and dependence with the same dysfunction in managing their lives.

If you or some you know is struggling with alcohol abuse contact the Counseling Center at 734-462-4429, where licensed counselors are available to provide support and referrals to community resources.

Additonally, the Counseling Center is holding Alcohol Awareness information sessions on Thursday April 10, 2014 at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. in VisTaTech Center VT 445. On the same day, there will also be confidential screenings available from 9:30 am until 4 p.m. also in VT 445.